Published: Tuesday, December 11, 2012 at 11:22 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, December 11, 2012 at 11:22 a.m.

Photo Galleries

At a press conference in the theater’s rehearsal hall, Playhouse leaders announced they’ve surpassed their $250,000 fundraising goal, with more gifts pending, and will “definitely, solidly” offer a 2013 season.

Playhouse leaders also scheduled two public input meetings to discuss their 2013 business plan and answer questions. The first is set for noon on Dec. 19 at the Playhouse Downtown, followed by one at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 20 at the Rock.

“We’ve got a lot more work to do, but the good news is we’re pushing on into 2013,” said Bill McKibbin, president of the Playhouse’s board of trustees.

Development Director Lynn Penny said the Playhouse had raised $253,559 in cash as of Tuesday, through a combination of Facebook appeals, community donations and a $100,000 challenge grant from an anonymous donor Nov. 29 that has been fully matched.

Following the news conference, the Playhouse learned that another anonymous donor had given a $100,000 challenge grant, to be matched dollar-for-dollar by the end of the year.

That could provide an added incentive for Flat Rock Village Council, which will consider Thursday whether to lift a ban on nonprofit funding and allocate up to $50,000 more to the theater this year.

“If Flat Rock decides to move forward, every dollar that they give will be doubled, which would be fantastic,” said Marini.

With more gifts pending next week and strong ticket sales for Tuesday’s “For the Rock” charity event, Executive Director Vincent Marini said he expects the theater company will raise at least half its long-term fundraising goal of $1 million by year’s end.

“But we are definitely not out of the woods,” Penny cautioned. “We have a ways to go.”

On Tuesday, the theater also released a revised 2013 show schedule, which reduces the number of adult musicals and plays from 18 to 13. The goal, Marini said, is to increase demand for tickets on the main stage.

“And the best way to do that is to reduce the number of shows we’re offering and make sure that we’re offering programming that’s attractive to our entire demographic,” he said.

The theater company will put on eight productions at the main stage, down two from this year, and five performances at the Playhouse Downtown, where Marini said production costs are lower and profit margins roughly 23 percent higher than at the Rock.

Playhouse leaders also said they are increasing their Music on the Rock performances by 25 percent in 2013, since three-quarters of those musical tributes sold out this season.

Including two YouTheatre shows, the theater plans 24 total productions in 2013 with hopes of selling 91,222 tickets. As of Dec. 4, the Playhouse had sold 91,012 tickets this year.

The Playhouse has made one minor adjustment to its 2013 schedule, replacing the downtown musical “Altar Boyz” — about a fictitious Christian boy-band on the last night of their “Raise the Praise” tour — with a bluegrass-driven musical called “Cotton Patch Gospel.”

During the news conference, Marini said the Playhouse’s downtown location is one of the most profitable parts of its business, making profit margins of around 53 percent compared to profit margins closer to 39 percent at the main stage in a good year.

Putting on an average show downtown costs $15,000-$40,000, he said, compared to $120,000-$150,000 at the Rock. In 2010, he said Playhouse Downtown grossed close to $750,000 and added over $300,000 in positive cash flow to the theater.

Reach Axtell at 828-694-7860 or than.axtell@blueridgenow.com.

Return to Blueridgenow.com for more information

Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.